This invention relates to an optical computer operable as a neural network or net.
Optical computers are already known. For example, an optical computer is described in a letter contributed by Demetri Psaltis et al to the Optics Letters, Volume 10, No. 2 (February 1985), pages 98 to 100, under the title of "Optical Information Processing Based on an Associative-memory Model of Neural Nets with Thresholding and Feedback". According to Psaltis et al, a linear array of light emitting elements and a linear array of light sensitive elements are coupled together by anamorphic optics to implement the Hopfield model of interconnection. Another optical computer is described in an article contributed by Clark C. Guest et al to the Applied Optics, Volume 26, No. 23 (Dec. 1, 1987), pages 5055 to 5060, under the title of "Designs and Devices for Optical Bidirectional Associative Memories". According to Guest et al, a pair of spatial light modulators are orthogonally oriented with a connection matrix interposed. Both optical computers are operable as neural networks. However, the neural networks cannot be trained in rapid time according to Psaltis et al and Guest et al.